Dysfunction at it's finest

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(06-13-2025, 05:39 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Stewart definitely knows what he's doing.

College athletes are less likely to "bend the knee" to the NFL now that they can get paid millions in college.
Stewart 100% got paid $1+ mill already being in the NFL, so he isn't so cash-dependent to need to just take what the Bengals offer.

This 100% though is all about money and risk of losing money.
It may ultimately be around the vagueness of what constitutes the voiding of any guarantees, and his camp may be arguing for more specificity or removal or certain conditions in that voided guarantees wording before signing.

I don't recall any reports of Stewart being a troublemaker, nor do I remember him having on-field problems like Burfict did coming out of college, so it really could come down to worry of having something taken away for an action that doesn't seem to justify a void.

Roquan Smith had the same fight in 2018 as a rookie with the Bears over wording that could let the Bears recover part of his guaranteed money if he was ever suspended for an illegal hit with his helmet. 

No 1st round pick should willingly give away their guaranteed money, and that goes double or triple for giving it away on potential fines or suspensions arising from on-the-field football plays (that sometimes you can't control). You also shouldn't believe a "we wouldn't do that, trust us" if they're still insisting they get the ability to do exactly that.

Roquan Smith was the last to sign from his class, and he won the standoff and got it removed from his contract. That was pre-NIL.


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And under-discussed aspect of this whole topic is that these guys are in a union, and unions are very keen on fighting any changes that are negatives for their members because if they don't, then that becomes an accepted precedence. 

If Stewart folds and signs the iffy wording, then it will be more expected every future Bengals 1st round pick after will do so as well. 
If Stewart holds strong and the Bengals fold, then it will be more expected that the Bengals don't try to pull that on their 1st round picks anymore. 

The players union might not be actively participating in it right now, but you can be certain they've made calls and sent messages of support to Stewart and his agent, because it will benefit or hurt future players/members.